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The Fuzillis - Krief - Nervous Twitch - J Lee and The Hoodoo Skulls

Background - London's latest and greatest rock'n'roll party band, The Fuzillis, are ready to Blast Off! This non stop, rock’and’roll grind-a-go go machine was formed in London in late 2014 and features the high energy rock and roll twang of guitar player Dan Criscuolo; the sleazy, growly tenor sax-tones of Thomas "T-Mag" Maguire; the thunderous jungle rhythms of Wilco “The Hammer” van Eijk and the low down tones of the boss of the bass, Mr Frankie Fuzilli Sr. (a.k.a. Zig Criscuolo, bass player of MFC Chicken).

They mix up a sleazy atomic age r’n’r cocktail blending Link Wray and the craziest Las Vegas Grind tunes with a large shot of Grady Gaines' Upsetters, a dash of The Fabulous Wailers, a slice of Nick Curran and top it all off with the wildest titty twistin' tunes on the Planet Earth.

2017 has also been incredibly busy with main feature slots at Hipsville (UK), Surforama (Spain), Voodoo Festival (Italy), Montesquiou On The Rocks (France) and The Rockabilly (Rave). In 2016 they released their (now Sold out) debut single Mogul Monster c/w Beavershot on strictly limited 7” vinyl through FOLC Records.

In 2017 they completed the recording of their first LP "Grind A Go Go, Volume 1" at Space Eko East Recording Studios with Alex McGowan (Jim Jones Revue, MFC Chicken, Josh Homme, Oh! Gunquit, Wilco Johnson, Jah Wobble) in the chair. The album features 16 brand new and vintage grind a go go classics. To support the launch of the record, the Fuzillis will be gigging around Europe starting in Nottingham (Blast Off! Festival) followed by Spain (including support slots with Barrence Whitfield and Mambo Jambo), Italy and the UK. They’re also planning a special UK LP London launch show at Weirdsville on Jan 27th, 2018.

Just one of sixteen wonderful tracks on 'GRIND A GO GO, Volume 1' I have chosen 'UNGAWA!' for you to savour over. I just love this album, as described above the band are "one word instr-o-mental grind-a-go go party monsters." If you are in need of a massive mood lift, or just want to take a discreet and personal cobweb removal session, then The Fuzillis are a remarkable starting point.

Background - Throughout his successful career as the lead guitarist and co-writer of the Canadian indie rock band The Dears, Patrick Krief has been busy, and we mean b u s y.

Touring with the likes of Midlake, Morrissey, Metric, Broken Social Scene in places like the Wembley Arena, Hyde Park, Electric Ballroom, Koko as well as V Festival, Redding, Leeds, Glastonbury, T in the Park to name (not) a few, we can confidently say that sonically Krief knows his stuff.

Signed to Fierce Panda Records, his upcoming new single “Ordinary Lies” unveils a musician with a true eloquence of expression. The intimate piano-based intro, in the style of Cat Power’s “I Don’t Blame You”, instantly grabs both ears with its authenticity (fyi, sounds incredible on headphones). It hits you from the get-go and you just know that this is going to be good.

Krief’s soul-bearing Jose Gonzalez/ Ray Lamontagne-esque vocals begin singing with the soft Whitley-like harmonies joining soon after. David Schiffman’s production (RHCP, Tom Petty, NIN, Johnny Cash) is impeccably modest in its approach, where each part- from synths through guitar bits to piano plonks (all played by Krief himself)- serves its purpose, holds its depth and builds the arrangement’s thematic expansion.

“Ordinary Lies” is taken from the forth-coming Automanic Red + Automanic Blue albums, which according to Krief, are "autonomous in their flow and not meant to be listened to in one sitting. Although releasing one without the other simply wouldn’t make any sense — the plot truly exists within the invisible line that bonds them." “Ordinary Lies” is out everywhere via Fierce Panda Records Now, with the double album Automanic to follow on the 17th November 2017. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Background - Nervous Twitch matched twisted rock’n’roll and punk rock on their previous LPs ‘Get Back In Line’ (2015) and ‘Don’t Take My TV’ (2016). With a Marc Riley 6 Music session under the belts the band return with their 3rd LP ‘I Won’t Hide’ – their first as a three piece. Nervous Twitch take on both personal and universal themes of alienation, anxiety and adversity transform it into 14 tracks of hook filled fuzzy New Wave Pop – sounding more cohesive than ever before.This new LP expands on their previous releases pushing their arrangements further whilst maintaining their pop sensibilities, with a range of influences from The Swell Maps to The Crystals, Nervous Twitch take you on a trip through the modern world as seen through their eyes. FACEBOOK.

'She's So Hip' is a small glimpse of the fourteen songs that make up 'I Won't Hide' a feisty affair in part, accompanied by some slower paced tracks. That said the potency, passion and energy is clearly trying to burst out from just beneath the surface throughout the album. It's new wave pop with some clear respect for older new wave, if you get my drift.

Background - J Lee and the Hoodoo Skulls are an instantly addictive contemporary blues rock band projecting dirty guitar riffs, stomping swamp percussion, and gut wrenching vocals. The Surrey based band blends Americana with bluesy retro vibes to create their unique brand of urban blues rock. Their unique, innovative sound is typically the stuff of biker rock legend that you'd find somewhere down an American highway, and thus have to pinch yourself to remember that they come from the UK!

Fronted by Jason Lee Barratt of whom has adopted a phenomenal vocal range thanks to the lineage from his father (Shakin Stevens), but also honed his own sound which soars over the driving guitars of Harun Kotch on lead guitar and Luke Sohl Williams on bass, whilst sitting on solid drum grooves by drummer Wayne Riches (has also been the live drummer for Skin- Skunk Anansie amongst others.) Between them, the band have already played on every corner of the globe with international chart success, received national award nominations, and had music used for various advertising campaigns, (including Henri Lloyd and the Mercerdes Petronas F1 Team.)

Off the back of their debut single Woman going viral online and a successful UK tour earlier this year supporting Shakin Stevens, J Lee and the Hoodoo Skulls are now back with their next single 2 Bit Lovers, which is out on Friday 1st December ahead of a debut album release set for Spring next year.

The new video exposes the band members themselves for the first time, performing amidst chunky choppers with gritty smokey surroundings pulling you into their atmosphere of ballsy blues rock! 2 Bit Lovers sits perfectly between a classic vintage sound, and something originally raw...J Lee and the Hoodoo Skulls have smashed it again! WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'2 Bit Lovers' just gets on with being a blues rock song that we know is new, however could easily pass for something decades old. It's the modern production that gives the game away, apart from that, this is a timeless blast of full on rock & roll, with more to follow.